Inside the Target Car - Honestly EP

Pop-punk has seen it’s fair share of changes, variations, and just new ideas over the years. Now you’ve got easycore/popcore bands like Four Year Strong and New Found Glory, and even bands like A Day to Remember that incorporate metalcore into certain pop-punk. But there’s now a genre, if you will. Something that Inside the Car like to call “happy hardcore.” Which will lead beautifully into the review:

Right off the bat with “Safe Harbor” you can tell that the music itself will be a bit more…happy, really. There’s not many other words that can describe it when you hear the synth, and guitars that are perfectly tuned to go with the synth incorporated. Even the breakdown makes you want to just have fun with your friends, especially after hearing chants throughout repeating “These are my best friends//these are my best friends.”

“Go [Heart] Your Own City” and “Eremophobia” are the other two tracks on this EP, and both follow in/around the same tone that was set with “Safe Harbor.” The former of the tracks mentioned is the shortest on the EP, clocking it at under two and a half minutes, and has some of the highest energy from the band on the EP. A “happy hardcore” breakdown also ensues in the song to wrap the song up nicely. The latter of tracks, “Eremophobia,” practically defines all that is good about Inside the Target Car. The hook is catchy, bringing in the best chorus on Honestly; with pop-punk guitars ringing throughout. The synth disappears by the time the chorus comes in which is a bit disappointing, but it’s been used fairly well throughout the first two tracks, so maybe it’s good to change it up a bit. Gang cheers of “we won’t sink with you, we’ll keep our heads up//we won’t burn with you, we’ve got this under control” roar over a mini-breakdown and provide a nice touch to the song before the chorus ends out the song, and you’re left wishing there was another verse.

Honestly contains three short songs about having fun, being with friends; it’s classic pop-punk. Plus the synth. While there’s only three songs, that’s plenty for this band to catch your attention somehow. With Four Year Strong kicking out their synth player, Inside the Target Car may be able to take over that little void for you. The hooks are catchy and the choruses are even better. If this is what “happy hardcore” is, I’m more than interested in what Inside the Target Car can bring us in the future. And you should be, too.